AuthorTopic: 2009 Weapons Policy Feedback (Read 8045 times)

Okay, this the weapons/prop policy is always a fun issue to deal with. Since this is Fanime, I figured it'd be nice to open up discussion to the fans and hear your thoughts and feedback on the subject.

Some questions to think about and get things rolling:How was the process of getting your prop peace-bonded? Where Rover staff helpful in explaining the policies and assisting you?Are there any rules in the weapons policy that you find confusing or questionable?What would you consider reasonable limitations on props weapons? Specifically ones meant to look like guns?What changes would you like to see in the future?Are there props that you felt were essential to your cosplay that did not get approved?

Obviously the actual policy will have to take in to account all sorts of legal and liability issues, but the more we know what you, the congoers, expect and want, the better we can work it in to the final policy.

I figured I'd comply with the rules, since I am familiar with them. I had a little of a hard time having my pistols piece bonded to me. The person who bonded them was very nice, and we joked about the whole ordeal. (I actually had a choice to not piece bond) Even though I knew it was going to happen, it didn't really strike me until later of how inconvenient it was. I had to completely take off my belt and the sash I had, just to get to the pistols. Everything was attached to something on the dumb belt. @_@

I like how the piece bonding tags are yellow. I didn't notice last year, but I think yellow is a good color for piece bonding weapons. You can see them easily.

This is going a little out on a limb, but can we not piece bond weapons directly onto peoples' costumes?You could also damage the costume, or the weapon.I'm just thinking that as long as the zip tie is clearly visable on the weapon. There should be no problem. At least with responsible congoers.

Also, my friend was given a real nasty attitude by a man who was peace bonding up by stage zero. He was tall and wore a white suit. And I think glasses. He said to my friend that his wooden sword was not apart of his costume, and he needed to check it in to conops becuase it shouldn't be on the floor. Now I probably don't know anymore then the guy in the white suit about anime, but my friends' character had a few identical twins roaming about with the same type sword. A wooden sword in a white sheath. I just thought it was quite rude how the man spoke to my friend. Not everyone who goes to these events are kiddies. He's 28, I'm 24 and the rest of us were 21-22. I found it a bit insulting. There was no reason to be an ass.

:/

Other then that, I was alright. And to lighten the mood...I thank the peace bonding people for peacebonding my highheels. It was a great joke for people who thought it was serious.

only thing is you'd get arrested by SJPD for the guns in that video. Georgia is probably pro for gun rights ^.^;;

Weapons policy used to be really light until someone at anime expo hit someone in the head with an actual sword.You know how it goes, one idiot equals a world of hell for the rest of the population. Fanime adopted the safety policies. Wooden swords are questionable and if it doesn't truly appear to be a prop and rather someone that just enjoys lugging a wooden sword, such as a bokken, around, then they tend to not allow it. Its simply because of legal risks and such. Its annoying, more trouble for the staff, simply because America is a sue-happy country. Easiest method to avoid it? ban it. but that'd take out the fun so they limit it and require reason. peace-bond also is like your signature that you agree with the safety rules anyways

09 was my first Con so I don't have any experience with other Cons, but I feel the peace bonding system worked out ok.

I agree that the yellow Zip ties makes for clear visibility on most weapons that "this object has been peace bonded" and I also agree that that should be some sense in the way things are peace bonded, IE, not peace bonding a weapon directly to a costume. It can damage the prop or the costume.

Since this has been poked at again: personally, I had no problems with peacebonding giving me trouble with the one weapon I had. (I also appreciate them humouring me in peacebonding Minazuki -- especially with how people kept boggling at the giant manta ray wearing a peace tie.) I only took one sword in, though, and it was built over a bokken base and couldn't even be drawn, so take my assessment as you will.

However, there is one thing I would really appreciate in the future: peacebonding staff sometimes tighten the zip ties quite a bit, making it hard to impossible to remove without damaging the weapon. I'm not talking sliding off, because that'd obviously defeat the point; I'm talking trying to get a blade under there to slice the tie after the fact. A too-tight tie can damange paint or even the infrastructure of a prop, and I've always appreciated it at other cons when staff leave a little wiggle room. If Fanime peacebonding could do this as well, it'd be marvelous.

my first time getting a wooden 2 fanimecon's ago, and the guy was like, go get it peacebonded so i was like, Sure i didnt know i had to but im fine with it :3

i get there and the guy was a total ass to me, it would of been one thing if he was like "Sorry but you cant get that peice bonded cause its not part of a cosplay, you should try checking it in at a hotel "

but he really seemed not to care about me, and really just sorta blew me off, saying in a mean way how i cant have it on me, blahblah, Your Not Cosplaying, take it back to your hotel, ect.....but i was like...

ME: but i dont have a hotel HIM: thats not my problem. your not cosplaying, so you cant have it on you.*some big black guy in con ops was just giving me a stare*

luckly i went down to the marriot and a really really nice kind lady was more then happy to store it for me, but the point is, it was just not a nice experience and really ruined the mood for a bit :/

How was the process of getting your prop peace-bonded? Where Rover staff helpful in explaining the policies and assisting you?

2009 was my first con with a prop (a wooden sword). It was peace-bonded into the sheath and not to the belt which meant I could still take it off, and it was secure but not tight enough to dig into the paint or anything. The verbal agreement to not do stupid things was exchanged. I did cut the tie on my last day, but I only posed with it around the fountain and I kept it in the sheath while walking around inside.

Are there any rules in the weapons policy that you find confusing or questionable?

For 2010 I will have a prop that can fall under the spear (while whole) or the flail (while collapsed) category. I plan to make it out of wood, which is allowed for spears but not for flails. There's no real way to peace-bond it into its spear form, so would I just have to keep it entire until I am outside of the convention center?

They technically are part of a cosplay, just... it's not really a real cosplay.Just me and my friends are going to walk around the con slowly in snuggies, [like jedi knights?]then immediately erupt into a Ninja Battle in the Arcade using the Nerf Swords and/or Lightsabers to attack instead of our hands.